Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-06-04
THE SHELTERING ARMS.


VISIT TO A HEBREW GUARDIAN IN
sTlTUTION FOR YOUNG GIRLS.
Everything Wonderfully Clean from
Kitchen to Cupola-The Asylum and
It's Workings-What tho Children Are
Taught-The Memorial Light.
"Good afternoon, SIR"
The salutation came from a group Of ten
young girls who were busily sewing in the
basement Of the Hebrew Sheltering Guardian
society's house, avenue A and Eighty seventh
street. Throughout the house and grounds,
where 156 girls were at work or at play, the
same respectful greeting awaited the re-
porter. It was pleasingly apparent at thu
beginning that the management was striving
to cultivate in its young wards that gracious
ness of manner and address which may be 50
potent factor in their future advancement.
The matron, Mrs Brett, whose motherly
heart warns to all of her many charges. and
who in turn is loved by all the waits, gave
the reporter every opportunity to examine
into the asylum and its workings. From
kitchen to cupola everything was wonder
fully clean. There were no carpets to catch
and retain wandering germs of disease, Sut
throughout the building the white pine floors
fairly glistensd, as the result Of their daily
scrubbing. The dormitories are models Of
neatness. Each child has an iron cot, and
each cot, with its spotless white counterpart,
is q lesson in cleanliness. Every morning
clean towels are hung at the foot of the sew
eral cots. Every child also has hair brush
and a tooth brush, and is required to use
them. The children themselves, even to the
little toddlers, were found with clean faces,
hands and aprons.
HEALTH OF THE CHILDREN
The hospital is bright, sunny room, which
overlooks the river, and is daily and hourly
purified by health giving breezes There
were no sick in the hospital. Judging from
the sturdy. healthful appearance Of the girls
it will be long before the two hospital cots
are brought into use. The managers give
especial attention to the health of their wards.
When sickness does come they spare no ex-
pense to battle the disease. A year ago,
through the carelessness of an attendant, a
contagious disease of the eye gained foot
hold. Ten trained nurses at $50 per week
months were engaged in battling the disease,
lessness of the orphans. The disease was
conquered and not an eye was lost.
The children attend the public school in
Eighty-sixth street, and are bright and faith
full scholars. Their reports are of so high Q
standard as to indicate moro than average
ability and fidelity. At home they are in
A&<I 49,,
keeping, with the exception of the heavy
work, for which they are not fitted. They
wash light articles, iron all their own cloth
ing, do all the mending and repairing, make
their own garments, including stockings,
gloves, hoods, knit shoes and slippers, and
are instructed in all the essentials of plain
cooking. When ready to 60 out in the world
they go fully prepared to support themselves.
In addition to their plain needlework, many
Of the girls have been taught the mysteries Of
lace making. Their work found ready sale
at the recent fair for the benefit of the Monte
fore home. The girls are also carefully in
structed in all that pertains to their gion,
and to that end are taught the Hebrew
tongue.
THE BIG PLAYGROUND.
The time Of the inmates is not all given to
work, however. A large closetful of dolls,
gayly dressed, and other toys showed that
provision had been made for the rainy days
which keep the children inside. But the great
resort for fun is the big playground in the
rear. Here, free from the observation of the
curious, they can romp to their hearts con.
tent. Tag and skipping the rope and playing
at school were all in full force on Wednes-
day, but even the widest players with laugh
ter dancing eyes paused long enough to greet
the visitor with the quiet "Good afternoon,
SIR"
Across the rear of the yard extended long
tent, under which was row of tables, where
the children eat in summer and fancy they
are having a prolonged picnic The tables
were occupied by the play school, but there
was enough Of the real school work to show
the reporter that the children read, write,
spell and figure well. In one of the dormi-
tories he observed a beautiful and touching
Jewish custom. A gas jet was burning low.
"Do you see that lightr said the matron.
"That was lighted last night at G and will
burn until 6 o'clock tonight. No one is
allowed to touch it in that time To-day is
the anniversary of the death Of the father of
one of our children, and the light is burning
in solemn commemoration of that sad event.
The children come to me from time to time
and ask if they may burn the memorial light
Each year they observe the day as one of
and prayer. No one interferes
with the light until they come and tell me
that the time set apart has expired. The Gus
tom is rather fallen into disuse among the
American Jews, but Christian as 1 am, it
strikes me as custom so beautiful and lovely
as to be worthy of universal adoption. -
New York Sun.